Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-10-28
orr AGRlctLTrR.IL FIIRN
shall They Educate the People Up o.
uma.

OiR tGHittLTtRIL FHIHN
shall They Educate the People Up OF
Down.
la Paper uy Josephine K Nichols of tine WON.
ans Christian Temperance UuiuuI
This is grave question for our farmers
TO consider Agricultural fairs are the out
growth of a desire among them 10 secure
the very best results possible from their la
bors not only for themselves IN the way Of
economizing time and strength, and for
profit but for the general Improvement Of
the country at large and the advancement
of its interests. They expect to gain a
knowledge Of improvements in machinery
at the state or county fair Here is the
place TO display their triumphs Of the year
in their own fields, and witness the results
| of their ueighhurs' successes in their fields
1t is the fitting ground where "A healthy EN-.
ulation exists among those who are the
bone and sinew of the land as well as its
actual rulers, constituting nearly four-ifths
OF It's voting population. So long as these
fairs carry out their original plan, they are
| of immense benefit TO the country. They
are a meetng-pace for men who are full of
care and toll during the year The inter
change of IDEAS and the friendly inter
course INDUCED in, are an inspiration 10
minds that would otherwise grow rusty, and
! give new impetus to efforts for further
| successes. The influence Of these gather
! ings can hardly be overestimated. To men,
women and children, the fair. and what
was seen and heard there, furnishes food
| for thought and a topic for conversation for
months How necessary, then, that the
| standard Of influence at these places should
| be of the highest order and that all the &C
ton of the management should be for the
advancement of the best interests of those
whom the fair was intended to profit. What
care should be taken that everything tend
ing to the health. comfort and happiness of
/ the people should he provided in abundance.
and all things that injure health, impair
comfort and destroy happiness should be
| vigorously excluded What generous en-
| couragement in the way OF prize money
! should be given for everything that will add
to the useful knowledge the people have
| come here to gain. What stringent laws
| for the protection Of the people at these an
nual holiday gatherings should be enacted
! 10y the state, and enforced 10y the manage
ment against everything that viii mar thu
| pleasure and usefulness of the occasion.
How perfect should all the environments
| he. that all the people might 90 home with
minds refreshed with new ideas and useful
| knowledge and hearts filled with pleasant
| membranes of the social delights of the
| day. This is what an agricultural fair
should always be able to give TO the masses
who congregate there, as originally planned
| This is what they do in some localities But
unfortunately in many cases this plan Is not
not carried out, and the state and county
fair has degenerated into place where dis
| order too often relCns where but little at
| tentlon Is paid to the best interests of the
/ people where they are surrounded hy in
! tluences that are only demoralzing where
! large purses are given to encourage horse
racing and its attendant gambling. with all
the evils that follow it, and paltry sums are
| doled out for the finest products OF the field
and garden and barnyard.
Small provision is made for the health
/ and comfort of visitors IN the way of sup
| plies of pure drinking water but their
health and happiness are threatened hy al
lowing the sale OF intoxicating liquors for
the assuagiug of thirst All sorts of gumh-
ling devices are often allowed. 10y which
unwary ones are tiecced Of their hard earn
lngs, and youths who are needed as honest
workers III the land acquire "a distastr for
| the steady life of the farmer. and learn To
/ I've dishonest IN the acquisition of money
! here Is the profit. either to mau or couu-
/ try, III such gatherings as these What
| comfort Is there ~ man or woman u -u.
/ ing where their sturdy labor Is chruprued
| before that which only gives d mumrutarv.
| unhealthy excitement. and cngeuiers strife
and dlscord and dishonesty. a. horse-racnE
| does What does it add To the enjoyment
/ of father and mother who 90 to the fair
| and 20 home with son Who has learned
such lessons during the day a. Will cause
him to drift away from the farm into di,,i-
| patton and vice 1t is appalHu. To- consider
| now many druukards are made hv the beer
stands that are upon fair ground, or sur
rounding them Where Is the hope of
| healthy, hearty rural population to correct
the vlciousness and disease of the cities,
when the youth Of the rural districts are
! being thus dehaucLcd These evils attend
ant upon fairs destroy all the good they
| might otherwise accomplish. They are "a
/ positive injury to a community instead of "a
| blessing, and are not worthy of the patron
age Of the best elements of society 1t isa
| disgrace to the management of "A fair when
an extra police force must he detailed to
control the drunken and disordery ele-
ments Of the day. All the arrangements
should be such that policeman would he
an unnecessary appendage. The managers
of fairs have admitted these evils for the
/ Il
that there would be financial loss in the le-
| gitmate way Of carrying them on.
There are fairs where neither horse-raciur
nor any other species of gambling Is carried
| ON where no Intoxicant Is allowed ON or
| near the grounds where the most generous
| premiums are given for the products OF ma
ture and the best machinery for the raising
| and improving of these products where
the youth of the country are melted to lite
| rary study 10y prizes for the best efforts in
essay and Grafton: and these fairs have al
ways proved good financial successes, while
as means of educating the people up TO a
higher standard Of living intellectually and
morally, their value can hardly be estiuat-
ed
There Is a general complaint of a dearth
Of young men who choose TO be farmers
How far may not the present style of state
! and county fair be responsible for this In
stead of magnifying the calling, and pre-
sentlng all the beauties and advantages of
an agricultural life 10y setting value upon
Its products above all other things at the
fair, an unhealthy spirit of excitement and
dissipation Is encouraged, which makes the
simple life of the country seem tame and
commonplace The youth of the land are
not being educated up into the idea that a
farm life may be the most ENJOYABLE, indie
pendent, cultured and dignited of all lives
by such sights and influences as are often
presented 10 them in connection with it at
our fairs The fair at its best is an abso-
Lutte necessity 10 the farmer hut a. it is
often carried on it is only means of cheap
ening his labor, helittling the power and
dignity of agricultural pursuits, and injur-
ing the health, comfort and happiness Of
those engaged in it. In the name of those
whose lives have been a blessing 10 human
lty through their agricultural labors. and
Tor the sake of those who should stand
ready 10 take their places with clear heads
and strong arms TO do their work. we ap-
peal 70 the farmers of the land. as the only
power capable OF controlling these matters.
to see 10 it that these demoralizing inhueu-
ces are driven away from our fairs. aud
that only pure and clevating influences sur
round those who come together seeking
mutual pleasure and profit at these great
annual meetings.
Wretched, Indeed,
Whom confirmed tendency t. biliousncss sub.
Jects 10 the various and chausrfll symptoms in-
I'D